Egan Bernal on Friday snatched the overall lead on the Tour de France after stage 19 was abandoned in a massive hailstorm with the Team Ineos rider now poised to become the first Colombian to win cycling’s greatest prize.
The stage is to have no official winner, but the yellow jersey goes to Bernal as he crossed the day’s penultimate summit first and was racing downhill with Simon Yates when the pair were told of the danger ahead. The road to Tignes was buried in hail and rubble from a landslide.
“It’s a big day tomorrow and I haven’t won the Tour yet. I need to concentrate and fight to keep the lead,” said Bernal, who led atop the Col de l’Iseran in the Alps, where the race times were taken when the stage was halted.
Photo: AFP
The 22-year-old is to become the first Colombian to win the race should he hold on over the 33km climb to yesterday’s summit finish in the Alps with just today’s procession into Paris to follow.
His job yesterday appeared straightforward late on Friday night when organizers cut the penultimate stage by over half its distance due to reports of more mudslides.
Overnight leader Julian Alaphilippe was a further minute adrift when Friday’s stage was halted and was disconsolate after the race.
“I don’t think I can win the yellow jersey back,” said Alaphilippe, who is 48 seconds off the overall lead. “I was beaten by something stronger than me.”
Alaphilippe wore the yellow jersey for 14 days, carrying the hopes of a public eager to see a French winner for the first time since Bernard Hinault in 1985 and defying pundits who felt he would wilt in the Pyrenees. Bernal’s family and girlfriend were waiting for him at the official presentation, where he strode toward the podium with calm dignity as many of his entourage cried openly.
“I was going at great speed when they told me to stop and I said: ‘No way, not now, please,’” Bernal said.
“But they told me it was okay, I was the new leader, and then I accepted it and pulled over,” said the youngest man on the race.
“We aren’t in Paris yet, but I feel like crying. Tomorrow will be hard and I will do everything to defend this,” he added.
Bernal attacked the final climb, about 5km from the summit, with defending champion Geraint Thomas, while title rival Steven Kruijswijk was trailing about a minute behind by the time the Colombian crested.
Many said they felt it was the right decision to call off the race.
“It was the only decision possible, imagine what might have happened?” Groupama-FDJ sports director Marc Madiot said.
Ineos might feel robbed of a further opportunity, because Bernal looked set to pulverize the overall standings.
Ineos led the ascent of the Col de l’Iseran with three men — Wout Poels, Dylan van Baarle and Jonathan Castroviejo — ahead of Thomas and Bernal.
With isolated Alaphilippe struggling for breath toward the summit of the highest point of the Tour de France, Bernal attacked 5km short of the peak, scampering away with ease.
Earlier, France’s other yellow jersey hopeful, Thibaut Pinot, was also ruled out of the race.
Trailing behind the peloton in tears, Pinot pulled out an hour into the race, still struggling with a thigh injury picked up in a crash two days ago.
The FDJ contender for overall victory was fifth at the start of a stage that suited his qualities.
When he dismounted from his bike, he ended a roller-coaster ride that included victory atop the first Pyrenean climb to the summit of La Col du Tourmalet, where his performance put him in the frame for a tilt at the title.
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